Containers for pressurized fluid



March 29, 1966 A. A. REYNOLDS ETAL 3,243,083

CONTAINERS FOR PRESSURIZED FLUID 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 30, 1964 March 29, 1966 REYNOLDS ET AL 3,243,083

CONTAINERS FOR PRESSURIZED FLUID 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 30, 1964 a [3 5] 0 ZU VF a F 9 x a 1 1 z.

March 29,1966 A. A, RQNQLDS ET AL 3,243,033

CONTAINERS FOR PRESSURIZED FLUID Filed March 30, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 29, 1966 REYNOLDS ET AL 3,243,083

CONTAINERS FOR PRESSURIZED FLUID Filed March 30, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

United States Patent Ofitice Patented Mar. 29, 1966 3,243,083 CONTAINERS FOR PRESSURIZED FLUID Anthony Arthur Reynolds, Moseley, Birmingham, and

Richard Martin Holmes, Sutton Coldfield, England, assiguors to Reynolds Tube Company Limited, Birmingham, England Filed Mar. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 355,632 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Apr. 5, 1963, 13,596/ 63 7 Claims. (Cl. 222-3) This invention relates to containers for pressurized fluids and has as an object the provision of such containers in a convenient form.

A container in accordance with the invention is provided with an elongated tubular neck which is formed internally with a screw thread, there being also provided a screw threaded plug mounted in the neck, an inlet passage in the plug communicating with the interior of the container, an outlet passage in the plug opening onto the outer end .of said plug and valve means for controlling the flow of gas from the inlet passage to the outlet passage, said valve means being actuable from the open mouth of the neck.

Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 shows, in cross-section one example of a container in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a section on the line 2-2 in FIGURE 1 with some parts omitted for the sake of clarity;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 showing an alternative embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 4 shows a further example of the invention; and

FIGURE 5 shows yet a further example.

Referring first to the example shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 a container for pressurized fluids is formed of aluminum alloy from a cylindrical vessel which is closed at one end 11. The container is formed with an elongated neck 12, for example, by forcing the open end of the vessel into a suitably shaped die. This has the effect of reducing the external diameter of the end portion of the cylinder and thickening the wall of the end portion. The mouth 12a of the neck is next bored out and the end 12b of the neck adjacent to the unreduced portion of the container is formed with an internal screw thread, an annular shoulder 12c being provided between the internally screw-threaded portion 12b and the boredout portion 12a of the neck.

A plug 13 is mounted in the neck 12 of the container 16, the diameter of one end 13a of the plug being larger than that of the other end 13b. The smaller end portion 13b of the plug is screw threaded and coacts with the screw-threaded portion 12b of the neck 12, while the larger end portion 13a of the plug is disposed in the bored-out portion 12a of the neck 12. A shoulder 13c is formed on the plug 13 between the two end portions 13a, 13b and a sealing ring 14 is disposed between this shoulder 13c and the shoulder 12c in the neck 12.

Formed on the outer end of the larger portion of the plug is an outlet connection 15 to which an outlet passage 16 drilled in the plug 12 is connected, the outlet connection 15 being eccentrically disposed on the plug 12. Also formed in the outer end of the plug 12 is a stepped cylindrical recess 17 having an axis 18 which is inclined to the axis of the plug at an angle of approximately and comprising an outer portion 17a which is internally screw-threaded and an inner portion 17b of lesser diameter. A cross bore 19 in the plug 13 connects the aforementioned outlet passage 16 with an annular recess 20 in the base of the inner portion 17b of the stepped cylindrical recess 17 and a further bore 21 in the plug co-axial with the stepped cylindrical recess extends from the base of the stepped cylindrical recess 17 to the inner end of the plug 13 (thus forming an inlet passage communicating with the interior of the container).

Valve means are provided for controlling the flow of gas from the inlet passage 21 to the outlet passage 16. The valve means includes a resilient closure member 22 having a central passage 22a and mounted in the inner portion 17b of the stepped cylindrical recess 17 so as to be engageable with the base of the stepped cylindrical recess -17. Mounted in the outer portion of the stepped cylindrical recess is a nut member 23, having an external screw thread engaged with the internal screw thread in the outer portion 17a of the stepped cylindrical recess 17 andan internal screw thread engaged with the screw threaded shank of an actuating member 24. The actuating member is formed at its outer end with a portion of square or other non-circular cross-section and is provided on its inner end with a mushroom-shaped piece 25 which is engagea'ble with a metal diaphragm 26 secured across the innerend of the nut member.

The actuating member 24 can be moved by engaging its square end portion with a suitable tool and rotating the latter to move the mushroom-shaped piece 25 towards and away from the diaphragm 26. When the mushroom-shaped piece 25 is moved towards the diaphragm 26 the .closure member 22 is clamped between the 'diaphragm 26 and the base of the stepped cylindrical recess 17 so that the flow of gas from the inlet passage 21 to the outlet passage 16 is cut off. When the mushroomshaped piece 26 is moved in the opposite direction gas can escape from the container by passing through and around the closure member 22.

Mounted on the inner end of the plug is a safety device 27 of known form including a bursting disc 28 and a space 29 on the side of the bursting disc 28 remote from the interior of the container is connected by a pair of bores 30 in the plug 12 to the outer end thereof. These bores communicate respectively with a pair of oppositely disposed slots 31 in the outer end portion of the plug. These slots are engaged by a tool when the plug is being screwed into the neck of the container.

As an alternative to the diaphragm and mushroomshaped piece described in the above example, a piston-like plug (not shown) may be movably mounted in the nut member 23. The piston-like plug would be provided with a pair of 0 rings mounted in its periphery and would be disposed between the actuating member 24 and the closure member 22.

It will be realized that the outlet passage 16 opens into the open mouth of the container and the actuating member of the valve means is disposed in the open mouth of the container, so that the neck provides adequate protection for the plug without necessitating the use of a removable cap.

In the alternative construction shown in FIGURE 3 the plug 112 also contains a reducing valve which comprises a stemmed piston 132 slidably mounted in a bore in the plug. The stem 133 of the piston is engageable with a nylon seating 134 mounted in a chamber 135 between the ends of the inlet passage "121 and controls the flow of gas through an orifice 135a in this seating 134. A passage 133a in the stem 133 connects this chamber 135 to the side of the piston 132 remote from the seating 134 so that in use the piston 132 is subjected on one side to the pressure of the fluid in orifice 133a. The piston 132 is loaded by a compression spring 136 located on the stem 133 between the plug 112 and the other side of the piston 132 and both ends of the piston stem 133 are subjected in use to the full pressure of the gas in the container. The force exerted by the spring 136 on the piston can be varied by placing one or more shims 137 between said other side of the piston 132 and the adjacent end of the spring 136. The space in the plug 112 on said other side of the piston 132 is connected by a drilling 138 to the outer end of the plug 112.

The valve means is constructed similarly to that de scribed with reference to FIGURES 1 and 2.

It will thus be realized that when the force exerted on the piston 132 by the gas at the outlet exceeds the force exerted by the spring 136 the stem 133 will engage the seating 134 and the flow of gas will be reduced. Consequently, in use, the rate of flow of gas from the cylinder is more nearly constant that when no reducing valve is employed.

In the further alternative example shown in FIGURE 4 the valve means for controlling the flow of gas from the inlet passage 22]. to the outlet passage 216 includes a spring loaded closure member 239 which is urged by spring 240 towards a seat 241 mounted in the outlet passage 216. The closure member 239 is movable from its seat by means of an adaptor 242 which can be engaged with the outlet connection 215 by means of a bayonet or screw coupling and which has a spigot 243 which engages the closure member. In this further alternative embodiment a reducing valve 244 similar to that described with reference to FIGURE 3 is employed. Furthermore, a safety device 245 is also employed, the device being mounted on the outer end of the plug. The space on one side of the bursting disc 228 is connected by a passage 246 in the .plug 212 to the chamber 235 in which the nylon seating 234 is mounted and the space on the other side of the bursting disc 228 is vented to atmosphere.

In yet a further alternative embodiment shown in FIG- URE 5 the container is intended for use as a carbondioxide type fire extinguisher and in this case a closure member 347 of non-circular section is slidably mounted in a bore 348 in the plug 312. The closure member is urged by a compression spring 349 into engagement with a seat 350 in the plug and is movable from the seat 350 by an actuating rod 351 which projects into a recess 352 in the outer end of the plug 312. A pivoted lever 353 mounted on the plug is engageable with the actuating rod. A removable safety pin 354 is employed for holding the lever 353 in a position corresponding to the closed position of the closure member and a pivoted loop 355 on the plug can be manipulated into a position for holding the lever 353 in a position corresponding to the open position of the closure member such manipulation involving turning the loop 355 in anticlockwise direction as seen in FIGURE 5.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a container for pressurized fluid having an integral elongated tubular neck provided with inner and outer ends, a lower internally threaded portion at the inner end of said neck, and an upper boredout portion at the outer end of said neck, a plug having a threaded portion engaging said lower threaded portion of the neck, and a portion disposed Within said upper bored-out portion of the neck, with said plug being entirely located within said bored-out portion, an inlet passage in the plug communicating with the interior of the container, an outlet passage in the plug opening onto the outer end of said plug and valve means housed ,within the plug controlling the flow of fluid from the inlet passage to the outlet passage and being actuable from the open end of said upper bored-out portion of the neck.

2. The combination claimed in claim 1 in which a shoulder is formed at the juncture of said lower internally threaded portion and said upper bored-out portion of the neck and a shoulder is formed at one end of the lower internally threaded portionof the plug, a sealing ring being compressed between said shoulders.

3. In combination, a container for pressurized fluid having an integral elongated tubular neck provided with inner and outer ends, a lower internally threaded portion at the inner end of said neck and an upper boredout portion at the outer end of said neck, a plug having a threaded portion engaging said lower threaded portion of the neck and an outer portion disposed within the bored-out portion of the neck, with said plug being located entirely within the upper bored-out portion, the plug being formed with an inlet passage opening into the interior of the container and an outlet passage opening from said outer portion of the plug, a sealing ring compressed between a shoulder on the plug and a shoulder formed at the juncture of the lower threaded portion and the upper bored-out portion of the neck, a resilient closure member adapted to seat on one end of said inlet passage and screw threaded shank means for compressing said closure member against said one end of the inlet passage and displaceable by angular movement thereof out of its closure member compressing position to permit flow of fluid from the container through the outlet passage.

4. The combination claimed in claim 3 including a pressure reducing valve comprising an annular seat mounted in the plug and so disposed that fluid flowing along said inlet passage flows through said seat, a tubular stem co-operating with said seat and slidable in a bore in the plug and a spring loaded piston connected to the stem and sensitive to the pressure of fluid passing through said seat to move the stem towards and away from the seat in accordance with said pressure to variably restrict the rate of flow of fluid through said seat.

5. In combination, a container for pressurized fluids having an integral elongated tubular neck provided with inner and outer ends, a lower internally threaded portion at the inner end of said neck and an upper boredout portion at the outer end of said neck, a plug having a threaded portion engaged with the lower threaded portion of said neck and an outer portion disposed within said upper bored-out portion of the neck, with said plug being located entirely within the bored-out portion, the plug being formed with an inlet passage communicating with the interior of the container and an outlet passage opening from said outer portion of the plug, a sealing ring compressed between a shoulder on the plug and a shoulder formed at the juncture of said lower threaded portion and said upper bored-out portion of the neck, a seat member mounted in the outlet passage and a closure member spring loaded against said seat member to prevent flow of fluid from the container and displaceable from seating engagement with the seat member by an adaptor insertable into the outlet passage and having a passage therein for receiving fluid flowing from the container.

6. The combination claimed in claim 5 including a pressure reducing valve comprising an annular seat mounted in the plug and so disposed that fluid flowing along said inlet passage flows through said seat, a tubular stem co-operating with said seat and slidable in a bore in the plug and a spring loaded piston connected to the stem and sensitive to pressure of fluid passing through said seat to move the stem towards and away from the seat in accordance with said pressure to variably restrict the rate of flow of fluid through said seat.

7. In combination a container for pressurized fluid having an integral elongated tubular neck provided with inner and outer ends, a lower screw threaded portion at the inner end of said neck and an enlarged upper bored-out portion at the outer end of said neck, a plug having a screw threaded portion engaging the lower screw threaded portion of said neck and an outer portion disposed within the enlarged upper bored-out portion of the neck, with the plug being located entirely within said bored-out portion, the plug being formed with an inlet passage opening into the container and an outlet passage opening from the outer end of said outer portion of the plug, said inlet and outlet passages being separated by an annular seat, a spring loaded closure member slidable Within the inlet passage and resiliently urged into sealing engagement with said annular seat, a stem attached to the closure member and projecting from the outer end of the outer portion of the plug and an operating handle pivotally supported on the plug and engageable with said stem to displace the closure member from said annular seat and thereby permit escape of pressurized fluid from the outlet passage.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 680,852 8/1901 Foster '2223 5 FOREIGN PATENTS 717,768 10/1931 France.

650,271 9/ 1937 Germany.

7 12,142 5/ 1954 Great Britain.

10 LOUIS J. DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Examiner.

N. L. STACK, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A CONTAINER FOR PRESSURIZED FLUID HAVING AN INTEGRAL ELONGATED TUBULAR NECK PROVIDED WITH INNER AND OUTER ENDS, A LOWER INTERNALLY THREADED PORTION AT THE INNER END OF SAID NECK, AND AN UPPER BOREDOUT PORTION AT THE OUTER END OF SAID NECK, A PLUG HAVING A THREADED PORTION ENGAGEMENT SAID LOWER THREADED PORTION OF THE NECK, AND A PORTION DISPOSED WITHIN SAID UPPER BORED-OUT PORTION OF THE NECK, WITH SAID PLUG BEING ENTIRELY LOCATED WITHIN SAID BORED-OUT PORTION, AN INLET PASSAGE IN THE PLUG COMMUNICATING WITH THE INTERIOR OF THE CONTAINER, AND OUTLET PASSAGE IN THE PLUG OPENING ONTO THE OUTER END OF SAID PLUG AND VALVE MEANS HOUSED WITHIN THE PLUG CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF FLUID FROM THE INLET PASSAGE TO THE OUTLET PASSAGE AND BEING ACTUABLE FROM THE OPEN END OF SAID UPPER BORED-OUT PORTION OF THE NECK. 